An audio preamplifier (1) for a microphone, including: a chassis (2) with at least one audio input (17) and at least one audio output, a control panel (3) including a gain selector (10) being arranged on one of the sides of the chassis (2), the chassis (2) further including a receiving compartment inside which a first connector is arranged; and a cartridge (6) comprising a preamplification circuit and a gain control circuit, the cartridge (6) further having a second connector complementary to the first connector, the cartridge (6) being configured for being inserted in a removable manner into the receiving compartment of the chassis (2) so as to connect the first and second connectors. An audio preamplification kit includes an audio preamplifier (1) and a plurality of additional cartridges.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
2. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the gain control circuit comprises a network of resistors connected to the preamplification circuit, and a network of analog switches or relays connected to the network of resistors and configured for being controlled by the gain selection signal so as to change an ohmic value of the network of resistors depending on the gain selection signal.
3. The audio preamplifier according to claim 2, wherein the gain selector is a twelve-position switch, the twelve positions of the twelve-position switch corresponding to twelve different ohmic values of the network of resistors of the gain control circuit.
4. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the second electronic module of the cartridge further comprises, downstream of the preamplification circuit, a de-symmetrization circuit and a symmetrization circuit.
5. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge is metallic so as to serve as a Faraday cage.
6. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the at least one audio input and the at least one audio output are of at least one type amongst jack-plug type and XLR type.
7. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the control panel further comprises a volume unit meter connected to the first electronic module.
8. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the chassis further comprises a power supply input connected to the first electronic module and to the first connector via an on/off switch arranged on the control panel.
9. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic module comprises an output power control circuit configured for setting an output power of the preamplified audio signal as a function of an output power selection signal from an output power selector arranged on the control panel.
10. The audio preamplifier according to claim 9, wherein the output power control circuit further comprises a high-pass filter configured for being activated by a high-pass filter activation switch arranged on the control panel.
11. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic module comprises a 48V phantom power supply circuit downstream of an XLR type audio input, the 48V phantom power supply circuit being configured for being activated by a 48V phantom power supply activation switch arranged on the control panel.
12. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic module comprises a phase inversion circuit arranged between the at least one audio input and the first connector, the phase inversion circuit being configured for being activated by a phase inversion activation switch arranged on the control panel.
13. The audio preamplifier according to claim 1, wherein the first electronic module comprises a −20 dB attenuation block circuit arranged between the at least one audio input and the first connector, the −20 dB attenuation block circuit being configured for being activated by a −20 dB attenuation block activation switch arranged on the control panel.
14. An audio preamplification kit comprising the audio preamplifier according to claim 1 and a plurality of additional cartridges, each additional cartridge of the plurality of additional cartridges comprising a preamplification circuit and a gain control circuit which are connected to a second connector which is complementary to the first connector of the chassis of the audio preamplifier, each additional cartridge of the plurality of additional cartridges being configured for being inserted alone and in a removable manner into the receiving compartment of the chassis so as to connect the first and second connectors to each other, wherein any two cartridges amongst the cartridge of the audio preamplifier and the additional cartridges have at least one amongst different preamplifier circuits and different gain control circuits.
Cooperative Patent Classification codes for this invention. Click any code to explore related patents in that topic.
July 25, 2022
August 6, 2024
Browse 5M+ US patents with plain-English claim translations and AI-generated analysis.